After a day of experimenting with my new “egg bite molds” for the Instant Pot… you saw it here first! And in time for Memorial Day weekend! Mini “Big Mac” style skewers with broiled Salt & Vinegar Potatoes! You should definitely save this on your Pinterest board for summer party ideas!
With summer being right around the corner, I decided to shift gears from hibernating comfort food to something more along the lines of an American summer picnic. My original recipe share for today was roasted salt and vinegar potatoes. Then I got to thinking, these potatoes would go well with a no carb skewer! And with the holiday weekend beginning in just hours, I had to make it happen!
After I came up with the idea to make a mini burger skewer, sans the bun, I realized it was so plain without a sauce or something to dunk it in. I could not write a blog recipe with plain cheeseburger skewers- I’m sure it’s been done before. I wanted unique and exclusive to Driftwood Corner. Keeping the theme of outdoor summer party food, I came up with the idea of bottling a copycat Big Mac sauce that guests can just squeeze on their skewer – with minimal spillage. Keep scrolling for that recipe – add it to salads, fries or burgers!
Now I understand that cooking in the house during the summer can be a nuisance, so I adapted this to the Instant Pot with air fryer attachment, as well.
BECAUSE MY 8 QT INSTANT POT DOES NOT HAVE AN AIR FRYER LID ATTACHMENT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME, I PURCHASED A MEALTHY BRAND LID AND I AM SO HAPPY I DID. IT HAS A GLASS LID SO YOU CAN LITERALLY PEEK AT THE FOOD AND PREVENT OVER COOKING! AND ITS ALL STAINLESS STEEL/GLASS- NO TEFLON, CHEMICALS OR PLASTIC ON THE INSIDE. (IF YOU HAVE A 6 OR 8 QT INSTANT POT, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS AIRFRYER LID) CHECK IT OUT:
Trust me when I say, if you are making this for a larger crowd, I recommend using the oven instead of the Instant Pot method for the burgers, and crisping the potatoes! The benefits are that you can cook 48 burgers using mini muffin trays as opposed to 9 in the IP (if cooking potatoes at same time underneath egg bite mold tray). The potatoes crisp faster in the oven being closer to the broiler element and being spaced out more on a large baking sheet.
INSTANT POT VS OVEN
THIS STYLE MUFFIN TRAY FOR THE OVEN: https://amzn.to/3cXQ982 COOKS 24 AT A TIME AND PERFECT SIZE.
THEY EVEN HAVE A 48 COUNT MUFFIN TRAY IF YOU ARE HAVING A BIG PARTY: https://amzn.to/2WSVMz0
INSTANT POT STAINLESS STEEL MOLDS: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PTPCL3G/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B07PTPCL3G&linkCode=as2&tag=driftwood04-20&linkId=bb2acdfe9c68e60292b28a2d7609492f
Can we go back to the egg bite molds? I cant tell you how excited I am to have finally found a stainless steel version. I couldn’t accept the idea of cooking in silicone – I envisioned melted plastic in my food and that plasticky chemical smell. No thanks. So after 4 years of Instant Potting ( pretty sure I just made that word up ) its finally here. Here’s the link if you are in the market for a stainless-steel version. And bonus, it comes in a cheesecake pan with removable bottom plate!!!!!
STAINLESS STEEL EGG BITE MOLDS FOR INSTANT POT!!! IVE WAITED 4 YEARS FOR THIS DAY! AND IT COMES IN A CHEESECAKE PAN WITH HANDLE AND REMOVABLE BOTTOM!!
SERVE ON BAMBOO SKEWERS LIKE THESE (GET THE NON POINTY ONES FOR PARTIES WITH KIDS) https://amzn.to/2TtEdTO
OR IN THESE FUN CONE STANDS THAT I HAVE: JUST ADD PARCHMENT PAPER. THESE HAVE A DIPPING CUP ATTACHED !!!! https://amzn.to/2ZAdhpD
THREE RECIPES FOLLOW:
- INSTANT POT/AIR FRYER METHOD
- STOVETOP/OVEN METHOD
- COPYCAT BIG MAC SAUCE
Mini Big Mac Style Skewers w/ Broiled Salt & Vinegar Potatoes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Method: Pressure Cooker/Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Description
INSTANT POT METHOD
THE BEST RECIPE FOR YOUR NEXT SUMMER PARTY! Mini Big Mac Style Cheeseburger Skewers w/ Salt & Vinegar Potatoes.
Ingredients
FOR THE POTATOES:
- 1-pound Yukon Gold or Fingerling potatoes, sliced lengthwise to 1/4-inch thickness
- 2 cups distilled white vinegar (apple cider works well but adds a sweetness to it)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt
- Pepper
FOR THE SLIDERS:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 TBS total of preferred spices
My preferred spices : pepper, garlic and onion. I do not use salt as I add a small amount of organic veggie juice.
Burger Toppings:
- Cheddar cheese – cut into small squares
- Iceberg lettuce
- Grape/cherry tomatoes
- Dill pickle chips
- Optional: jalapeno slices
Instructions
- Wash and slice potatoes
- Pour 2 cups distilled vinegar into the IP
- Add sliced potatoes
- Cover with lid and let soak while you prep the burgers, sauce and toppings.
- In medium bowl combine ground beef, spices and Worcestershire sauce.
- Form ground beef into small meatball-like rounds, placing each one in your IP “egg bite molds” as you go.
- Place trivet in Instant pot over the potatoes in vinegar. Lower meat tray onto trivet and secure IP Lid.
- Set venting valve to seal and cook at manual high pressure for 2 minutes
- Quick release the pressure.
- Using heat shield gloves, lift trivet and mini burger tray out of IP and set aside.
- Gently transfer potatoes to a baking sheet and drain liquid. Using a paper towel pat dry the potatoes. Coat potato slices with olive oil, salt and pepper and gently toss.
- Transfer potatoes back to IP with air fryer lid.
- Air fry @ 475 F until brown and crispy. Remove lid, gently toss potatoes and crisp again. Time varies by air fryer – in my 8 qt pot with potatoes in the bottom, it took 20 minutes x2. The closer the element is to the potatoes, the faster it’ll crisp – I recommend broiling in oven for larger batches/quicker batches.
- Remove lid and return burgers to IP in Air Fry Basket (on trivet about potatoes) with a square of cheese on top each one.
- Melt cheese using Air Fryer Lid @ 475 F – about 1 minute.
- Enjoy
Notes
My favorite air fryer lid for instant pot: https://amzn.to/3ee4rBE
If you are making a large batch of these for a picnic/party I highly suggest using your oven to broil the potatoes and to cook the burgers. You will be able to cook the large batch much faster (see blog post)
To lessen the vinegar taste, use ½ water, ½ vinegar (1 cup of each)
To increase vinegar taste, allow potatoes to soak for 30 minutes prior to cooking
Serve burger skewers with the copycat big mac sauce (recipe on blog)
Serve potatoes with a cool dip such as Greek yogurt or sour cream with dill. No salt is needed in dip.
Mini Big Mac Style Skewers w/ Broiled Salt & Vinegar Potatoes
Description
STOVETOP/OVEN METHOD
THE BEST RECIPE FOR YOUR NEXT SUMMER PARTY! Mini Big Mac Style Cheeseburger Skewers w/ Salt & Vinegar Potatoes.
Ingredients
FOR THE POTATOES:
- 1-pound Yukon Gold or Fingerling potatoes, sliced lengthwise to 1/4-inch thickness
- 2 cups distilled white vinegar (apple cider works well but adds a sweetness to it)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt
- Pepper
FOR THE SLIDERS:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 TBS total of preferred spices
My preferred spices : pepper, garlic and onion. I do not use salt as I add a small amount of organic veggie juice.
Burger Toppings:
- Cheddar cheese – cut into small squares
- Iceberg lettuce
- Grape/cherry tomatoes
- Dill pickle chips
- Optional: jalapeno slices
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F
- Place rinsed, sliced potatoes in a saucepan with 2 cups vinegar and set aside.
- In a medium bowl combine ground beef, spices and worcestershire sauce.
- Form ground beef into small meatball-like rounds, placing each one in a non-stick or lightly coated mini muffin tray
- Cook mini burgers in a preheated 375 degree F oven for approx. 5 minutes and remove from oven
- Bring potatoes to a boil then remove from burner- let potatoes cook in hot vinegar for 3 minutes.
- Gently transfer potatoes to a baking sheet and pat dry using a few paper towels.
- Coat slices with olive oil, salt and pepper and gently toss.
- Separate slices to a nice even layer and broil until brown and crispy -about 5 minutes. Flip slices (you don’t have to be fancy about it) and put back under the broiler for 5 more minutes.
- Place a small square of cheese on each burger and return muffin tray to oven under broiler to melt cheese – this will take less than a minute.
- Remove from oven and build skewers
- serve and enjoy
Notes
To lessen the vinegar taste, use ½ water, ½ vinegar (1 cup of each)
To increase vinegar taste, allow potatoes to soak for 30 minutes prior to cooking
Serve burger skewers with the copycat big mac sauce (recipe on blog)
Serve potatoes with a cool dip such as Greek yogurt or sour cream with dill. No salt is needed in dip.
Copycat big mac sauce
Description
The closest you will get to the real deal…and much healthier!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 TBS sweet relish
- 1 1/2 TBS mustard
- 1/2 TBS BBQ sauce
- 1 1/2 TBS apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 salt
Instructions
Whisk all ingredients together and chill in refrigerator before serving
Notes
My favorite organic BBQ Sauce for this recipe! : https://amzn.to/36onab3
